Zimbabwe ni chini ya udhibiti wa kijeshi baada ya jeshi kuchukua nguvu kutoka Mugabe

Viongozi wa kijeshi wa Zimbabwe wamechukua udhibiti wa taifa la kaskazini la Afrika maskini, wakiweka kiongozi wa muda mrefu Robert Mugabe akiwa amefungwa nyumbani na kupeleka magari ya silaha kwenye mitaa ya mji mkuu, Harare.

Mugabe, mwenye umri wa miaka 93, kiongozi wa zamani zaidi duniani, hakuweza kuondoka nyumbani kwake, kwa mujibu wa Jacob Zuma, Rais wa jirani ya Afrika Kusini. Mapigano yaliripotiwa kuwepo katika Bunge la Zimbabwe na jumba la urais.
Katika taarifa kubwa ya televisheni mapema Jumatano, msemaji wa jeshi alikataa kuchukua takeover ya kijeshi iliendelea.
Lakini hali hiyo ilikuwa na alama za kupiga kura: Jeshi lilisimamia TV ya serikali huko Harare, uwepo mkubwa wa jeshi ulikuwa katika uwanja wa ndege wa kimataifa wa mji, na Mugabe haijaonekana kwa umma.

Zimbabwe's military leaders have seized control of the impoverished southern African nation, placing longtime leader Robert Mugabe under house arrest and deploying armored vehicles to the streets of the capital, Harare.

Mugabe, 93, the world's oldest living leader, was unable to leave his home, according to Jacob Zuma, the President of neighboring South Africa. Troops were reportedly stationed at Zimbabwe's Parliament and the presidential palace.
In a dramatic televised statement early Wednesday, an army spokesman denied a military takeover was underway.

But the situation bore all the hallmarks of a coup: The military was in control of state TV in Harare, a significant army presence was at the city's international airport, and Mugabe has not been seen in public.